The DAC in the Hegel will not be employed with the system you are proposing since the Pono includes its own high quality DAC. The Pono DAC was designed by Ayre and is similar to the circuit used in the Ayre Codex. Both my Pono and Codex sound excellent through my Ayre powered system especially in balanced mode.
Ayre AX7e vs Hegel H160
Buying a small system for my daughter and son-in-law's house warming gift. The both use Pono's which can be used in balanced mode with amps that have a balanced input. The best integrateds I can find with a balanced input in my price range are the above mentioned ones. No tube amp recommendations-- too fussy for these folks.
Speakers are Dynaudio Focus 160's. Room is 12 x 15 and they listen mostly to acoustic Americana music at moderate volumes. Both are well reviewed -- the Ayre particularly so.
Is the Ayre at 60 watts/8 ohms and 120 / 4 ohms enough to drive the relative inefficient speakers? The Hegel at 150 watts is clearly more powerful but I am worried about the DAC becoming out of date. The Ayre is slightly cheaper but with a couple hundred of the Hegel.
Help me decide please. I need to pull the trigger tomorrow.
Speakers are Dynaudio Focus 160's. Room is 12 x 15 and they listen mostly to acoustic Americana music at moderate volumes. Both are well reviewed -- the Ayre particularly so.
Is the Ayre at 60 watts/8 ohms and 120 / 4 ohms enough to drive the relative inefficient speakers? The Hegel at 150 watts is clearly more powerful but I am worried about the DAC becoming out of date. The Ayre is slightly cheaper but with a couple hundred of the Hegel.
Help me decide please. I need to pull the trigger tomorrow.